Dylan's Pals has been created to honour our magical son, Dylan Nicholas Goulding Barette
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DYLAN'S PALS
Our firstborn, Dylan, was born at St. Thomas' Hospital on 18th November 2020 with vulnerabilities that no-one ever considered would be life-threatening. Dyl Pickles loved getting dressed up in his extensive sassy wardrobe and being papped, snoozing on his Dad's chest, storytime with over the top facial expressions and constantly playing with his toys - particularly Keith the Koala (which his Dad named) and Bunny.
From the moment Dylan was born, everyday he proved what an extraordinarily brave and tough little boy he was. During his 37 day stay on the Neonatal unit, he was continuously investigated by the neonatal and specialist teams. No-one could give him a diagnosis and we understood that we had to wait and see how he grew and developed. Despite being poked and prodded, he was the most chilled out little boy and adored all of his doctors and nurses workers who looked after him so lovingly.
Dylan has changed our lives forever; he is the biggest gift and miracle we could ever have hoped for. Devastatingly, he passed away in my arms on December 24th 2020. As his parents, we know our son is at peace now and lives safely in our hearts. There isn't a millisecond that goes by where we don't miss our little boy, we would do absolutely anything and everything to still have him with us today. Dylan is the strongest warrior we know and we are so proud to be able to call him our eldest child. He will live inside our hearts forever and is spreading his magic all over the universe.
All the money we raise will go towards pioneering neonatal medicine and ensuring all vulnerable babies at the Evelina have all the love and specialist medical care that they need. Our biggest hope is that his legacy will be life-changing for so many families, today, and in the future, as we help each and every one of Dylan's Pals.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to continuously fundraise lifesaving research into neonatal medicine and support ongoing neonatal projects for other vulnerable babies on the Neonatal Unit at the Evelina.
1 in 7 babies born in the UK each year are admitted onto neonatal units. The Evelina is the centre of excellence for neonatal research. Across all of their departments, they believe combining high-quality care with ongoing research is paramount to providing the best possible outcome for every single child.
The Evelina is such a special place to our family. During agonising times when we couldn't be with our son, we knew he was being so lovingly looked after. Everyone made us feel incredibly at ease during such a phenomenally beautiful yet terrifying time.
Our lifelong fundraising efforts will help and support vulnerable babies and their families today and in the future.
FUNDRAISING
Everything we do at Dylan’s Pals is powered by community, love and the shared mission to support vulnerable babies and their families. Here are some of the ways we’re raising funds and awareness. Every initiative helps us continue Dylan’s legacy supporting his vulnerable pals to have a better chance.
Our annual bike ride brings together friends, family and supporters to ride in Dylan’s memory. It’s a powerful day of love and purpose, raising vital funds while honouring Dylan and all of his pals. If you’d like to join or learn more, including highlights from previous rides, you can find all the details here.
For Dylan’s 6th birthday, Dylan’s Mama ran the London Marathon, raising funds to support life-changing neonatal care and more families on their journey. In partnership with fertility specialist and friend Hannah Pearn, founder of Don’t Tell Me to Relax, Anita shared her and Dylan’s story in a powerful podcast episode, creating an open and honest space to talk about fertility, baby loss and the path to parenthood. You can listen here to Holding onto Hope - Running for Dylan.
Founded by Dylan’s godfather Stew Rae, Third Eye Grannies is a community-led publishing company that brings people together through shared experiences that nurture wellbeing, creativity and connection. Their debut novel, The Animal Football Team, tells the story of a school football tournament that takes a magical twist
With 50% of proceeds supporting Dylan’s Pals, this partnership helps raise awareness and vital funds while honouring Dylan in a way that uplifts and supports others.
OUR CURRENT PROJECTS
Thank you for your incredibly generous support, the vital funds raised have made it possible to support
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Redesigning the Neonatal Unit to create a healing environment for families
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Enhance the fundraising experience for bereaved parents, reimagining how families can honour and celebrate their child’s life
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Support the development of the Children’s Cancer Centre, contributing to a world-class facility that brings together pioneering care, research, and family-centred spaces
SHARING DYLAN'S STORY
